Alkaline oxidation method for producing dissolving pulp for textile fibres

Research output: Contribution to conferenceConference AbstractScientific

Abstract

The global demand for textile fibers is increasing rapidly due to increasing population and increasing per capita consumption. Synthetic fibres, mainly polyester, will be dominating also in the foreseen future. However, also natural fibres, like cotton, and regenerated cellulose-based fibres are needed to fulfill the demand. The production of cotton cannot be increased due to environmental and food production reasons. Therefore, the need for cellulose-based textile fibres is expected to increase rapidly.
The dominating commercial technology for producing regenerated fibres from cellulose is the viscose process. Due to hazardous chemicals applied in the process, particularly CS2, novel environmentally sound methods are needed to replace or to complement the viscose process. In order to re-optimize the whole production chain novel methods to produce the cellulose used in the dissolution and wet-spinning process are needed as well.
VTT has developed a two-stage AlkOx process for producing dissolving pulp for cellulosic textile fibres. The method relies on two cooking stages: The first stage is to extract the main part of the hemicelluloses and the second stage is to delignify the remaining fraction applying Na2CO3 and O2. VTT has also developed a Biocelsol method for dissolving the cellulose. The method relies on enzymatic treatment of cellulose in order to enhance its solubility into NaOH/ZnO.
Dissolving pulp produced using the AlkOx process is a potential cellulose provider for both the viscose and the Biocelsol methods. The strength properties of the produced AlkOx viscose fibres were close to the ones obtained from a high-quality commercial dissolving pulp (tenacity 2.6 cN/dtex compared to 2.8 cN/dtex). The strength of AlkOx Biocelsol fibres were not as good, but the superiority of them is expectedly in their absorption characteristics.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages1
Publication statusPublished - 5 Feb 2020
MoE publication typeNot Eligible
EventPaperWeek Canada 2020 - Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montreal, Canada
Duration: 3 Feb 20206 Feb 2020
http://www.paperweek.ca/

Conference

ConferencePaperWeek Canada 2020
Abbreviated titlePWC 2020
Country/TerritoryCanada
CityMontreal
Period3/02/206/02/20
Internet address

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